Guides/Special Permit to Guide

Non-residents who hold a valid hunting license, are entitled to hunt, if they are supervised by a licensed guide or a resident over the age of 19 who has a Special Permit to Guide.

The Guide Examination Board is responsible for the administration of guide testing and training in the province.

There are three categories of licenses issued: Hunting Guide, Fishing Guide and Master Guide.

Hunting Guide

Must have a Wildlife Resources Card with a hunting certification on it or proof of taken a recognized Hunter Education course from another jurisdiction.

Emergency First Aid and Basic CPR

Pass a practical hunting test and written examination administered by the Examination Board; or Successful completion of a practical test and the National Hunting Guide Certification test.

Fishing Guide

Emergency First Aid and Basic CPR.

Pass a practical fishing test and written examination administered by the Guide Examination Board.

Master Guide

Wildlife Resources Card with a hunting certification

Canadian Firearms Safety Course

Emergency First Aid and Basic CPR

Bow Hunting Certification

Proof of ninety days of actual guiding experience

Letter of recommendation from a Master Guide or Outfitter

Pass a written examination administered by the Guide Examination Board.

Any person authorized to guide may not guide more than three(3) persons while hunting deer or guide more than four(4) persons who are hunting species other than deer.

All licensed guides are required to report violations of the Wildlife Act or regulations by any person to the nearest local office of the Department of Natural Resources or a local police department.

All guides are responsible for ensuring information returns and/or biological specimens from their clients are submitted to the Department of Natural Resources.

Special Permit to Guide

Special Permits to Guide may be issued for hunting or fishing. These permits are only available to residents age 19 or older who hold a valid Nova Scotia Firearm/Hunting or Bowhunters Hunting Certificate. The permits are only available from Department of Natural Resources offices. When requesting a Special Permit to Guide applicants must appear in person to receive the Permit.(See current Hunting and Furharvesting Summary of Regulations booklet.)

A person acting as a guide under the authority of a Special Permit to Guide may not charge a fee for their service and are subject to the same regulations as are licensed guides.

For friends - Only one Special Permit to Guide for hunting and one for fishing will be issued per person per year and it will be for a maximum of seven days.

For Immediate Family - the Permit may be valid for one season. For the purposes of this section "immediate family" means mother, father, siblings, aunts and uncles.

* Residentat any time means a person permanently or ordinarily a resident in the province for the two months immediately preceeding that time and includes: an officer of the diplomatic or consular service of a foreign country stationed in the province;
a member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police or the Canadian Armed forces stationed or born in the province; a person born in the province and the owner of real property in the province.